FEVER!

I am a bit of a dolt, but we all knew that! I struggled a little bit with fatigue yesterday, but there wasn't an opportunity to take a nap. That's OK. But by 7:00 PM, I knew something else was wrong. OH MY GOODNESS -- I have a fever! 38.5! That would be a result of the vaccinations I had the previous day! I don't know how long I had the fever, but it was when my body just said, "we're done," that it crossed my mind! 

Having said that, I took some medication (although it was a struggle to get back downstairs to retrieve them from the kitchen table), went to bed, and slept pretty much through the night. However, I woke up when the storm hit, but I didn't really pay much attention to it. Poor Murphy - she doesn't like storms, but I think she went back downstairs to hide out in the stash room, since Mom was no help in comforting her. DH was out for the evening.  

I'm feeling much better today, although my upper arms are still tender. However, at least I can move my arms without much pain. This doctor recommended I get two more shots - typhoid and Hep A and B. Yikes -- do I want to go through this again? I should have been like DH and gotten them all at once! I'm not sure if I have time to get those before we leave, and I wasn't going to worry, except I saw a news article this morning stating that people at a downtown restaurant may have been exposed to Hep A. 

There's me, who has been lax on all things vaccination-related, and now I'm becoming paranoid? Well, not paranoid, but is it worth the hassle of getting sick when a single shot could solve the problem? For my friends, I've now received the shingles vaccination and tetanus update, so please don't ask me - I've done it! Besides the yellow fever, I got one more that day, but it's already escaped my brain. I guess that's why they give you that little immunization chart. 

Despite the lack of energy yesterday, I managed to accomplish things, but very slowly. I am not able to share it with you, but you'll see it soon. Let's just say that I was creating some machine embroidery designs so I could stitch them out. 

I will say this now, and I will continue to say it going forward. You CANNOT learn any software by watching a video. Yes -- you can get the gist of how things work, but you can't understand it that way. And no one can teach you all the nuances of what it can do. However, by experimenting, I discovered a range of cool features, all within a single tool. And modifying designs - it just doesn't happen until you have a thorough knowledge of the basics. 

Here's the thing with the Reference Manual. The reference manual will tell you how things work, but then it's up to you to play with those and see what happens. There is ZERO inspiration in the manual. That's why there are people like me! I am rather excited about what happened with that little play session. It just opened up an entire range of possibilities that I never thought possible. 

Additionally, a new feature has been introduced on the Singer Momento, which, if you have one, you're going to love! 

Wait until you see what I did with mine next week! My goal in life is to marry all the technology I have together - my embroidery machine, digital cutters, and software. I love playing around with this, and there is no stopping me! There will be more changes happening, so stay tuned! 

Here's a look at our backyard. While I was doing an OK job keeping ahead of the weeds, it did need a bit of extra care. Some branches were lying very low over that table, and they were making a mess. They are gone!

The overhanging branches are tidied up

And the rest of the area looks pretty spiffy. Other than weeding and some pruning, the yard is pretty much self-maintaining, and I like it that way! 

The tidy yard!

On the packing front, I'll be taking two backpacks with me. The larger one, which is small, that I took to Spain, will carry my clothes. I'm not taking much - two pairs of shorts, two pairs of pants, long underwear (hey -- it might be as cold as minus 25 at the top!), a couple of short-sleeved shirts, a long-sleeved shirt, a fleece, a merino wool undershirt, and my orange jacket. Socks and underwear as well. Keep in mind that all of this was designed for travel, so it's compact to pack, quick to dry, and lightweight. I will also take my Teva sandals. 

The smaller backpack will carry everything else and will likely be heavier than the bigger one. Medications, a tiny portable office, sunscreen, and so on. Actually, it might not be so bad. However, I did remove all the accessories from it. Why carry more stuff when you don't need to? 

My mini shoe collection

My miniature shoe collection is super cute, but I don't need to carry that with me. I have a shoe from Spain and England, and I'm not sure where the others came from. Super cute!!!!!

I am a stickler for always carrying food with me. I never want to be in a situation where I need to eat and I have nothing. There is nothing worse than that. I don't remember if it happened while I was walking the Camino or not. But I remember one day when I was expecting to reach a village with services, only to discover that I had taken the alternative path and there was nothing. Thank goodness for snacks. All you need is a couple of bites, and you are good to go! Why do I feel the need to eat when I'm at home? 

Several years ago, after scouring the grocery store shelves and purchasing several protein bars to experiment with, I discovered that RX Bars are perfect for travel. They don't have chocolate, so they won't melt, although they will soften. They are not dry and tasteless, but actually quite good. I eat about 1/2 a bar a day, or whenever I need a pick-me-up, and nothing is available for purchase. They come in many flavors and were on sale the other day, so I bought two of each flavor. 

RX Bars

I suspect that I'll need these more in Africa than in Spain, as I'll be more suspicious about food. DH thinks we'll just eat from the street vendors and well, he can, I will not. While I'm taking my Montezuma's revenge medication, I certainly do NOT want to use it! 

And my HOKA shoes arrived! I didn't even have the strength or the curiosity to open them last night, so I'll do that this morning and start walking with them to ensure they are OK. I've learned that the size doesn't matter - it's the fit and comfort that I care about. So, I now order giant shoes, and they work for me. 

My shoes arrived

I ordered a sleeping bag from the tour company (complimentary, I might add), so I'll probably take my liner and call it a day. Now I don't have to travel around Africa with my sleeping bag. Although it is small and very lightweight, it's just one more thing to carry! 

I need to review the list of items to take one more time and ensure that I have all the necessary items with me. The one thing I must remember is a hat and gloves! I will be placing one more order today, and I hope to get the remaining items that I don't have, such as the hiking pants and collapsible water bottles. NO plastic bottles allowed on this hike!! The three liters of water we have to carry each day will be the heaviest thing to carry, but since the porters carry the rest, it won't be so bad. And as the day goes on, we'll drink the water, so all is good!

We have our itinerary, and now I need to book those ETA travel requirements as well. It's all coming together. There will be loads to tell you about as the trip progresses. For the moment, I'm focused on obtaining everything I need in the smallest and most lightweight format possible. 

Before I close, I'd like to tell you about the book I'm currently reading. I like thrillers and finished another novel yesterday in my feverish stupor. I like scary books - well, not frightening, but murder mysteries. Well, the audiobook I'm currently reading is flat-out terrifying. It is NOT a novel. It's called Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams. It is about Facebook, and quite frankly, I don't think the political world would be in so much turmoil if Facebook didn't exist. It makes me want to close my account. 

Sarah worked at Facebook from 2011 to 2017. The book was published earlier this year without Facebook's consent. Oh my goodness — the data they collect, the influence they have over everything. They have the power to dictate how the world works! It's absolutely frightening. 

Now, since we know that the political world has turned upside down, and most likely with the help of Social Media, how can we use that same platform to right the wrongs that have been done? The power of the people!!! 

Anyway, the book is worth reading - it's an audiobook read by the author with her distinctive New Zealand accent, and it's a page-turner for sure!

Remember, there is a Virtual Retreat this weekend. 

Saturday, July 26 - starts at 6 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82693702241?pwd=QpQkm8Ppppy1XwCPOqva1bcgJCWKdP.1

Meeting ID: 826 9370 2241
Passcode: 795071

Saturday, July 27- starts at 3 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81073536036?pwd=uxRqMnK1aSKrmrcSO78w8QQs5g44eA.1

Meeting ID: 810 7353 6036
Passcode: 596838

And on that note, I hope to have a much more productive day. But considering I wasn't feeling well, I did great yesterday!!!

Have a super day!

Ciao!!

Essential travel items!

Interesting comments about clips, pins, and magnets! So, does anyone use them for what they were intended? I think I also saw online that they "could" be used to baste your quilt. YIKES!!! How much would that cost to buy the magnets, and how heavy would the quilt be? And the cutting system? I don't think so! Too cumbersome. I understand that some people struggle to hold rulers, etc., but there are alternative methods to assist them beyond using magnets. 

Let's see if anyone else has some suggestions. I think I'm good with the hair clip type, as it works exceptionally well; it's light, inexpensive, and easy to use with one hand. You could buy one pack of the hair clip pins (even those deemed for quilters) and share them - it would cost pennies per person. I'm not a fan of pins for anything - pins slip, yet some people pin like mad. You don't need to! But everyone has their choice of how to work. 

I'm in a bit of a mess this morning. I finally made it to the travel clinic to get my yellow fever shot. While I was there, the doctor convinced me to get some other shots, so I ended up getting FOUR shots - two in each arm. Yikes --- my arms are like dead weights. They didn't hurt at the time because the guy was rattling all kinds of things about travel, but as the evening went on and this morning, I can feel each and every shot! 

It's better today than last night, but yikes --- my muscles feel like I've been working out for days with hefty weights. And I came home with a collection of Band-Aids on my arms! I'll be fine! But on top of that, I hadn't been to spin class in a while, so my quads were also sore! I'm a mess! 

My Band-Aid collection

The first thing the doctor asks me is, "Do you know the four things you should keep on your person - all the time while travelling?" I think he meant specifically on a plane, but it's kind of the same. Do you know? The first was your passport. The second was your cell phone, the third was shoes, and for the life of me, I can't remember what the fourth thing was. Money? 

The idea is that those items should never be stored in the overhead bin. I agree, and I rarely take my shoes off on the plane, but I told the doctor I went one better, and I keep those items he mentioned in my waist pouch. If there were ever an emergency, I wouldn't even have to think about it - I'd just get up and go! My important stuff is attached to me! Yep --- that waist pouch is essential for travel, at least in my world. 

If you want to nap on the plane, you don't need to worry about someone getting into your things. You simply turn the pouch around so it sits on your back (this is a very slim pouch) and tuck your shirt over it, and no one is even aware it's there! 

I pulled out all my travel gear yesterday, and it's strewn all over the bedroom floor. The kitchen island is also covered with stuff. I don't usually take a lot with me, but this time, due to the location, we need insect repellent and a lot of medication, and well, way more than I like to travel with, but we will likely need it. Not only do I have to do that for myself, but DH needs it as well. 

I pulled all my travel clothes out, and now I'm going to see if they all fit in my backpack. Of course, they will. I'm not taking much. I ordered my new hiking shoes the other day, and they were supposed to arrive yesterday. By 5 PM, which is the usual drop-off time at my house, nothing had arrived! I was sitting on the front patio last night, and at about 8 PM, the UPS truck came whizzing up and screeched to a stop in front of the house. 

I was going to meet him in the driveway to save him some steps. I could hear him rattling things around in the truck, but there was no package. He had it on his list, but where the heck is the box? Is someone else wearing my shoes this morning? I see it's rescheduled for delivery tonight. 

I will try to sort through a few of the things I pulled out and put away what I absolutely do NOT need. Then I'll have a must-take pile, and a few things I'll mull over. I do not travel with fancy clothes, nor do I take a "good" outfit. I'm traveling, so they get what I bring. 

I've been debating whether to bring my sleeping bag for the climb. We will be sleeping high up for several nights, and I wasn't sure mine would be warm enough. Did you know the best way to stay warm when camping is to sleep naked? Yep -- I learned that years ago. Keep your clothes in the sleeping bag with you. Anyway, did I want to drag that sleeping bag around for the following two weeks? I caved and ordered one from the tour company. I'm taking my orange jacket, but I'm also going to get one of theirs. There's no need to carry things around if I don't need to. That orange jacket is super light and compresses into a tiny ball. 

I think the only thing left to buy is a pair of hiking pants. I have a pair, but they are not heavy enough for this adventure. They weigh 10 ounces! 

Now, none of this stuff is bulky or heavy. I always laugh when ordering any kind of camping/hiking/outdoor gear - the weight is always listed, and these things weigh mere ounces!!!! But if I don't have to carry it, why bother? 

My Pony Express staging area is getting reduced, but there are still a few things that need to be taken care of. This is one area. 

Part of The Pony Express

And here is the other. There are some quilts to be picked up, and some boxes that need to go to the recycling depot. 

The main staging area

I'll try to address all that today or tomorrow. 

One of the items on the list was to pick up the stuff from the shoemaker and drop off another of Murphy's leashes. YES -- that girl is hard on leashes. However, these are made of leather and have been around for a long time. 

This was the leash that came with her, and it's a firm canvas-type leash. Both of the metal hooks had died, so she now has new ones. I don't know how long they will last, but let's see what happens. 

Murphy's leash is repaired

I have a beautiful pair of felted slippers, but sadly, they quickly got a hole in the bottom. So I found some suede soles that I could put on them. It has been sitting in my "to-do" pile for a long time. 

My felt slippers

I took the soles and slippers to the shoemaker, and voilà - they are fixed. He left the extra sherpa lining on the soles, so they are going to be very comfy. His suggestion was to put a rubber sole on the bottom, but I had already purchased these suede ones. Next time! 

My felt slippers are repaired!!

And I had another leash to be fixed, but he took care of that while I waited! So, everything relative to the shoemakers is done! Let's see how long it will be before Murphy destroys it. She didn't chew anything - she just pulls so hard that the stitching comes undone or the metal on those clasps wears out! I know! Thankfully, she's better in the pulling department, but I'm not sure about her! She sees an e-scooter and she wants to chase it. Or a squirrel? 

The leash was repaired while I waited

There are not many shoe makers around anymore, and this guy was busy. I had to wait while someone picked up a pair of shoes, and while he was fixing my leash, two other people came in! Let's take care of those shoe makers! 

I didn't accomplish a lot yesterday. I seem to be in summer mode, and I'm in slow motion. But that's OK. I pressed the backing for the next quilt, and I got a chuckle. I had to join the fabric, and I see that I matched the print along one section. 

Nice matching job on the print

However, when I joined the two halves together, that didn't happen. The back is loaded on the long arm, and I hope to get to it today. I managed to complete some more machine embroidery. So, progress is being made, but slowly. This quilt has been sitting in the "to be quilted" pile for at least 15 years! 

The center seam of the backing is NOT matched

Of course, I'm reading! I think that's why I want to eliminate everything else from my life. I want to read! Although I know I would be bored if that's all I did. 

I sat on the front patio last night, and it was glorious to be out there. I even put on my shirt, as it was cool! I know!!!! But the birds? Oh my goodness, I don't know what they were saying, but the cardinals? There was one that perched on top of a very tall tree and proceeded to tell the entire neighborhood that he was in charge and no one was to try to do anything about it. 

A very noisy bird

He was getting a bit annoying after a while, and then he flew away! 

Well, that's it for today. I have a lot to do, but in my slow-motion mode, it's going to take days to get it all done, and I don't have that much time. I'll just do what I can - I'm not going to stress about it - it's quilting, not brain surgery! 

OH -- by the way, if anyone is interested in attending a quilt retreat, please let me know. It's at Spring House Retreat - the dates are September 8 - 14, but you can come for just a couple of days if you wish. This is probably the last time I'll be offering this opportunity, so if you've ever wanted to experience a retreat, NOW is the time to let me know. Send me an email - elainetheriault@gmail.com

Don't forget the Virtual Retreat this weekend. 

July 26 - starts at 6 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82693702241?pwd=QpQkm8Ppppy1XwCPOqva1bcgJCWKdP.1

Meeting ID: 826 9370 2241
Passcode: 795071

July 27 - starts at 3 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81073536036?pwd=uxRqMnK1aSKrmrcSO78w8QQs5g44eA.1

Meeting ID: 810 7353 6036
Passcode: 596838

And on that happy note, I'm out of here!!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!